Pet Shipping from the USA to France
France welcomes American pets with no quarantine and no titer test when the EU paperwork is right: an ISO microchip, a rabies vaccination at least 21 days old, and an EU animal health certificate issued within 10 days of arrival and endorsed by the USDA through VEHCS. The rules are exact about sequence and timing, and that is the part we take off your hands.
One coordinator manages the whole journey from your American home to France: the EU certificate, the USDA endorsement, the crate, and the routing.
Every Pet Travels
Differently
Different destinations, different routes, different challenges.
Because timelines, airline rules, and the EU’s entry requirements can vary, we build a plan that fits your pet and your move date.
Destination-Focused Planning
We use France’s official EU import guidance as the baseline, then turn it into a simple checklist and timeline you can follow.
Smart Routing and Logistics
We help choose practical routes, travel windows, and handoff procedures so your pet’s trip is safer and more predictable.
Personalized Support
Pet Travel Advisors assigns a move coordinator who keeps you updated and checks details before travel so nothing important is missed.
Pet Shipping from the USA to France
Moving a pet to France follows the EU sequence, and order matters: the ISO microchip comes before the rabies vaccination, the vaccination at least 21 days before travel, and the EU animal health certificate is issued within 10 days of arrival and then endorsed by the USDA. Here is what we lock in for every France move:
- confirm what applies to your pet and route
- map out a realistic timeline
- coordinate vet steps and paperwork
- support crate readiness and routing
confirm what applies to your pet and route
How Pet Shipping from the USA to France Works
To keep everything clear, we break the process into steps:
Verify requirements and timing
We confirm what rules apply based on your pet and travel details.
Build your plan and timeline
We map out what happens when, so steps are completed in the right order.
Coordinate vet preparation
We help keep appointments and timing aligned with what’s required.
Review documents for consistency
We check the details that cause delays (microchip digits, dates, names, signatures).
Confirm crate readiness and routing
We help align crate setup and routing with airline handling expectations.
Travel and arrival processing
We guide you on travel-day handoff and what to expect on arrival.
We keep your checklist aligned with the official rules. For the US export side, we follow USDA APHIS guidance for US to France travel. For EU entry rules, we follow the European Commission guidance on moving pets.
Approved Routes and Entry into France
Most France moves fly into Paris Charles de Gaulle, with direct cargo routings from New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, Miami, and Atlanta. Arrival clearance happens at the CDG animal station before your pet continues home by road, whether that is Paris, Lyon, or the south.
- routing options can change based on airline availability and season
- we confirm the best practical route before booking
- we make sure your plan matches what’s expected at intake
Entry Requirements and Documentation for France
Import Eligibility for Pets
Pets from the United States enter France without quarantine once the EU paperwork is complete. The US is an EU listed country, so no rabies titer test is needed for direct arrivals.
France classifies certain dogs as category 1 or category 2 with strict conditions, so we confirm your dog is unaffected before anything is booked.
Before scheduling vet steps or flights, we confirm what applies to your pet against the current EU entry rules and with the USDA, so nothing in your plan is based on outdated summaries.
Health Preparation and Documentation
Your pet needs an ISO microchip implanted before the rabies vaccination, a rabies vaccination at least 21 days old on arrival, and an EU animal health certificate issued within 10 days of arrival and endorsed by the USDA through VEHCS. Up to five pets can travel non commercially with an owner; larger moves follow commercial rules, which we also handle.
| Requirement | France, from the United States |
|---|---|
| Microchip | ISO microchip, implanted before the rabies vaccination |
| Rabies vaccination | At least 21 days old on arrival |
| Rabies titer | Not required. The United States is an EU listed country |
| Health certificate | EU animal health certificate, issued within 10 days of arrival and endorsed by USDA through VEHCS |
| Pets per owner | Up to five may travel non commercially with an owner. Larger moves follow commercial rules |
Planning Timeline for Pet Shipping to France
Plan for 4 to 6 weeks for a straightforward move when the microchip and rabies vaccination are already current, or about 7 weeks if the vaccination needs to be redone, since the 21 day immunity wait and the 10 day certificate window both have to line up with the flight.
Planning the budget? See what shipping a pet from the USA to France costs, fee by fee.
The EU Rewrote These Rules in 2026
Most pet shipping pages still cite Regulation (EU) No 576/2013 and its companion 577/2013. Both are long out of force. Recital 1 of the delegated regulation now in force records that 576/2013 “was repealed by Article 270(2) of Regulation (EU) 2016/429 as from 21 April 2021”, so a page still citing it is at least five years behind. The framework in force is Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2026/131, with the country lists in Implementing Regulation (EU) 2026/636 and the document models in Implementing Regulation (EU) 2026/705, both applying from 22 April 2026.
Two consequences matter to a move booked now. The animal health certificate model is now Part 1 of Annex III to 2026/705, and a certificate on the older Annex IV model counts as compliant only if it was issued before 1 October 2026, and then only for a transitional period ending 31 March 2027. And once your pet has been checked at the point of entry, the same certificate covers onward movement inside the EU for six months rather than the four months most sources still state.
None of this changes what France asks of your pet. It changes which form your accredited veterinarian completes and which form the APHIS endorsement office will accept, so we confirm the version in force before the vet appointment is booked. The United States remains listed in Annex II to 2026/636, so no rabies titer test is required.
Which US airports will my pet fly from to France?
New York JFK, Chicago, Los Angeles, Miami, and Atlanta all offer strong routings to Paris, and we arrange ground transport to the departure airport from any other US city.
What does the US require to send my pet to France?
A USDA endorsed EU animal health certificate issued within 10 days of arrival, submitted through VEHCS, with the microchip, rabies vaccination, and exam records all matching the chip number. We prepare the file so the dates line up.
What does France require for a pet arriving from the USA?
An ISO microchip implanted before the rabies vaccination, a rabies vaccination at least 21 days old on arrival, and the EU health certificate. No quarantine and no titer test for direct arrivals from the United States.
Does France restrict any dog breeds?
France classifies a small set of dogs as category 1 or category 2, which brings strict conditions rather than a simple ban. We confirm how the rules apply to your dog before booking.
How much does it cost to move a pet from the USA to France?
A dog or cat moving on this route typically runs $1,500 to $4,200 all in, depending on your pet’s crate size and the season.
Every quote is built for your pet and route. The main components are the EU certificate and USDA endorsement, airline cargo to Paris, the travel crate, and door to door ground service on both ends. Request a quote and we price the full journey up front.
For the itemized breakdown, with every government fee linked to the authority that publishes it, see our full cost breakdown for this route.
How does Pet Travel Advisors handle a USA to France move?
One coordinator owns your file from the first call to delivery: vet scheduling, the EU certificate, USDA endorsement, crate sizing, flight booking, CDG clearance, and delivery to your door.